Simplifying MS-SQL Backup Administration with Intelligent Groups

NetBackup’s Intelligent Groups provide automated, query-based protection across dynamic environments—including MS-SQL databases in NetBackup 11. This feature ensures backup policies automatically adjust as systems and data change, reducing manual oversight while improving consistency.

Intelligent Groups allow you to define policies using filters at the database level, making it easier to apply the right protection based on environment, size, or other attributes. These rules apply to both newly credentialed and existingMS-SQL instances—automatically enrolling databases as they are discovered.

Example: Automating MS-SQL Protection by Environment and Database Size

Let’s walk through a real-world use case with three distinct backup policies:

1. Test Environment – All Databases

• Use Case: Lower priority; backups are infrequent and retention is short
• Intelligent Group: MS-SQL – All Test Databases

• Query Usage:

  • Use the hostname filter to target test/dev systems.

    • Filter Syntax: Hostname ends with test.company.com
    • This filter ensures only databases on hosts like sql01.test.company.com are included.

     

     

• Policy Configuration:
  • Retention: 2 Weeks
  • Schedule: Daily Full, No Incrementals
  • Job Priority: Low
  • Parallel Backup Operations: 4

2. Production – Large Databases (≥1 TB)

• Use Case: High-performance backup with striping for large datasets
• Intelligent Group: MS-SQL Prod – 1TB and Larger

• Filter Usage:

  • Combine hostname and database size filters.
  • Filter Syntax:
    • Hostname ends with prod.company.com
    • AND
    • Database size greater than or equal to 1 TB
  • This targets databases like ERP_DB on sql01.prod.company.com that are 1 TB or larger.
• Policy Configuration:
  • Retention: 6 Months
  • Schedule: 15 Minute Transaction Logs, Daily Incremental, Weekly Full
  • Stripes: 4 or more

3. Production – Small Databases (<1 TB)

• Use Case: High-throughput protection for numerous smaller databases
• Intelligent Group: MS-SQL Prod – Less Than 1TB
• Filter Usage:
  • Combine hostname and database size filters.
  • Filter Syntax:
    • Hostname ends with prod.company.com
    • AND
    • Database size < 1 TB
  • This targets databases like ERP_DB on sql01.prod.company.com that are less than 1 TB.
• Policy Configuration:
  • Retention: 6 Months
  • Schedule: 1 Hour Transaction Logs, Daily Incremental, Weekly Full
  • Job Priority: Medium
  • Parallel Backup Operations: Up to 16

Automatic Reassignment & Visibility

• As databases grow (e.g., from 500 GB to 5 TB), NetBackup automatically moves them to the appropriate policy.
• If a host is discovered that doesn’t match any group (e.g., test.newcompany.com), it appears as Not Protected in the MS-SQL management view—prompting administrator review.

Bottom Line: With Intelligent Groups, NetBackup 11 ensures your MS-SQL data is protected consistently, automatically, and with the right level of performance—reducing manual effort while improving SLA compliance.  More information can be found in the NetBackup 11 documentation or view the short video attached for a simple demonstration.